The Fischer U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,597,873 issued Aug. 10, 1971) shows a toy construction kit including a series of connectable structural elements using coupling heads and coupling grooves to interconnect pieces. The patent is particularly directed to a non-wheeled drive unit which may be integrally coupled with the structure using such connector elements. The drive unit includes a worm gear for driving purposes.
The Tong U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,378 issued May 2, 1972) shows a motor driven toy vehicle which may use different vehicle bodies connected to a suitable power module. The power module has an output drive gear to drive the wheels of the vehicle through a driven gear on the axle. The power module is received in the bottom of the vehicle body.
The Nagasaka U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,895 issued June 26, 1973) shows an amusement device including a plurality of toy figures which may be coupled directly to a two-wheeled vehicle and coupled one on top of each other. The vehicle is in the form of a motorcycle having front and back wheels with a motor, gear train and battery between the wheels.
The U.S. patent to Salmon et al (U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,218 issued May 21, 1974) relates to a modular toy vehicle including various assemblies and sub-assemblies which may be taken apart and reassembled using various coupling means.
The Disko et al U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,039 issued July 30, 1974) discloses a toy vehicle having a plurality of interchangeable shell accessories which are connected to the driven chassis of the toy.
The U.S. patent to Ogawa (U.S. Pat. No. 4,132,028 issued Jan. 2, 1979) shows a toy assembly having interchangeable parts and detachable appendages.
The Saito U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,189,864 issued Feb. 26, 1980) relates to a self-powered four-wheeled toy vehicle chassis which is capable of sequentially receiving and rejecting a plurality of different types of vehicles bodies.
The U.S. patent to Jones et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,006 issued Feb. 3, 1981) is directed to a reconfigurable toy including an electrically driven body section having driven tracks and a plurality of accessories which are interchangeably connected to form various play units.
The Sugimoto U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,219 issued Sept. 11, 1984) relates to a toy vehicle assembly including a chassis member, a prime mover assembly and a body which are interconnectable to accommodate various different forms of vehicle bodies. The prime mover assembly includes a pair of rear wheels and a spring motor for driving the rear wheels.
The U.S. patent to Kulesza et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,239 issued Mar. 12, 1985) discloses a self-propelled power driven land four-wheeled vehicle including a power take-off friction coupling to drive a helicopter shell accessory. The four wheels of the land vehicle are exposed when the land vehicle is combined with the helicopter. The land vehicle and helicopter include parallel rails and channels in engagement to hold them together and a latch and trigger mechanism to release the vehicle from the helicopter.
The U.S. patent to Diebold (U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,202 issued Feb. 18, 1986 is directed to an electrically powered modular toy set including a motorized main vehicle and accessory unit. The accessory unit is motorized through an electrical connection between the main vehicle and the accessory. Vehicle components are releasably mounted on the main vehicle.